My Luna Mate

My piercing emerald green eyes glistened as I glanced at my reflection in the mirror.

Alexander appeared behind me, smiling proudly down at me. "My beautiful Luna," he murmured, before dipping his head down to place a soft kiss on my exposed shoulder.

Inhaling a deep breath, I turned my head to glance at him over my shoulder. "Do you think they will like me?"

My mate smirked, before placing a lingering kiss on my cheek. Pulling back, he beamed, "They will love you, baby."

Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly, I nodded, trying to calm my nerves. Alexander was introducing me to his pack today. I hadn't done anything wrong to his pack, to our pack, and had to remind myself that I wasn't the enemy, my old pack had been.

Alexander was right, they shouldn't hate me. And if they did, I would just prove myself to them. Plus, many wolves from this pack belonged to my old one anyway.

When my mate tugged at my hand and guided us towards the entrance of the pack venue, I gripped on to his hand tightly for support, grateful to know he was always by my side.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I can have your attention briefly," Alexander spoke in to the mic after attending the stage, receiving a loud cheer from the big crowd of wolves. "As you may have heard, I have found my Luna."

The crowd cheered even louder at the mention of my existence and I had to inhale sharply, trying to calm my nerves, in hopes that they wouldn't hate me once they found out who I really was.

Alexander held his arm out for me to walk on to the stage. "Rather than finding out later, I will tell you that she came from Pale Moon," he told the crowd.

The wolves erupted in to gasps and low whispers amongst themselves, making me want to turn back and not stand before them. But Alexander's voice calmed my wolf and made us approach him.

"I need you all to know that she is not and has never been the enemy. Like many of you, my Luna did not belong in that pack in the first place," Alexander told the crowd, as he snaked an arm around me. "I wish for you all to accept her with open arms and see how good of a Luna she will be to you."

The crowd hesitated but eventually ended up cheering, surprising me completely. I leaned in to Alexander as I let my eyes roam over the audience, feeling so grateful to know they didn't hate me completely.

After speaking with a couple of wolves, they made me realise perhaps the pack would quickly accept me as their Luna. They seemed so nice, beyond what I imagined it would be like.

"I told you," Alexander murmured when we were alone, watching the crowd of wolves mingle amongst each other. "They love my girl."

Leaning my head back in to his shoulder, I smiled, realising how nice this felt and how promising our future seemed. But before I could utter another word, someone else spoke.

"Alexander," a voice came from behind us, making us both pull away and snap our heads in the direction of the intruder.

"Mother," my mate responded, his voice stern.

I glanced at the slightly older lady, her blonde hair falling on to her shoulder, with dark piercing blue eyes as she glanced at me. There was a slight resemblance to my mate but not much.

"This is your famous Luna?" she asked, approaching us, eyeing me from head to toe.

Alexander wrapped an arm around my waist, squeezing tightly. "Mother, this is Lyra," he introduced before turning to me. "Baby, this is my mother."

I nodded and smiled widely at the woman before stepping forward to embrace her, except the woman placed her hand forward, making me stop in my track, awkwardly.

"Nice to meet you dear," she simply said, taking my hand in hers and shook it before she turned her focus on my mate. "A word in the office later, Alexander. I don't have much time before I need to leave."

I was taken aback by her rushed introduction, not expecting for her to pay such little attention to me, but considering that I was not very comfortable with formalities, I didn't mind.

After the woman disappeared, Alexander engulfed me in his arms, nestling his head in my neck as he embraced me.

"Don't mind her," he told me. "She can be a little distant, it's her way of coping since my fathers' passing."

His words tore at my heart strings, as I tried to understand how difficult it must have been for his mother. But I didn't pry any further because I didn't feel the need to. I would get to know her properly when the time was right, and I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Lyra?"

I pulled back to glance at my mate, whom was smiling and did not seem like he had been the one to say my name. Furrowing my brows, I glanced around, not understanding who had called me.

"Lyra!"

My eyes fluttered open in a panic as the voice of the person calling me tuned up, bringing me back from my slumber and to the present.

I had dreamt of the first time that I had been introduced to the pack. Frowning, I couldn't understand the randomness of the dream.

But before I could ponder, the unfamiliar scent of antiseptic mixed with artificial fragrances filled my nostrils.

My eyes scanned the wooden, oak, ceiling before I realised that I was not in my room or on my own bed.

Instantly, I glanced around in terror as I took in my surroundings, surprised when Zynthéa appeared in my vision. She was by my side, concern plastered on her face.

"Hey," she said lowly, examining my face quickly. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know, tired?" I responded, my throat dry. "What happened?"

The girl beside me heaved a loud sigh as she proceeded to fill a glass of water before handing it to me.

"Here, drink this first. Your lips are going to crack with how dehydrated you look," she warned.

Sitting up slightly, I took the glass from her and sipped on the fluid, catching a glimpse of the pink cannula attached to the dorsum of my hand. My throat instantly felt better as the liquid lubricated my insides.

"Thanks, Théa. Can you tell me where I am?"

Zynthéa placed her hand over mine. "You're at the pack doctor, Lyra. You fainted and Dyami quickly brought you here, but he had to return to the training grounds so he called me."

The girl was speaking really fast, hardly giving me a chance to keep up with her. But I managed to register every word and memories of what had happened came rushing back.

Suddenly, the loud pang in my chest echoed, and I could feel a lump of anxiety fill my throat.

In that moment, I wished I could have remained in my dream and not have to deal with everything that was going on. My heart was hurting so damn bad.

I craved Alexander, but at the same time I was so furious with him that I preferred to suffer in silence than to be comforted by him.

"I'm fine," I told the girl when I took notice of her concern face. "Tell Dyami that I am sorry for worrying him as well, and that I said thank you."

Zynthéa chewed on her bottom lip, not really responding. I frowned.

"What is it?" I asked, my brows knitting together.

She took a seat on the edge of the bed, before inhaling a deep breath, her eyes never leaving mine.

"I'm surprised you don't know," she started saying, her eyes scanning over my face before travelling down my torso. "The doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong with you, until he decided to run some tests."

Narrowing my eyes at her, I placed the glass by the bedside table before I sat myself up fully now, my back resting against the headboard.

With how carefully Zynthéa spoke, I was starting to get concerned. I couldn't be sick, could I? I mean, I felt completely fine.

Aside from how fatigued I had felt recently, but I put that down on how occupied I was with the pack and how I tried to be the best Luna that I could be. That usually involved running around a lot to attend to as many members as I could.

"Théa, what is going on?" I asked, concern now evident in my voice.

The girl scanned my eyes briefly, before clearing her throat. "I'm not sure how much of a shock this will be to you, and perhaps you are already aware, but when did you last have your period?"

Her question threw me completely off, and I sat there gaping at her as if she had just asked the most stupid question.

"What?" I asked, wanting to confirm that I wasn't imagining her words, but already mentally calculating the last date of my period.

Just over six weeks ago.

Realisation hit me like a brick, and I was still contemplating the possibilities of me being pregnant, not believing this was happening.

That was until Zynthéa spoke and confirmed the exact horror playing on my mind.

"Lyra," she whispered, squeezing her hand on mine. "I think you're pregnant."